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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number EP/K011790/1
Title Research Centre on Innovation and Energy Demand
Status Completed
Energy Categories Energy Efficiency(Residential and commercial) 50%;
Energy Efficiency(Transport) 25%;
Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research(Environmental, social and economic impacts) 25%;
Research Types Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields SOCIAL SCIENCES (Economics and Econometrics) 25%;
SOCIAL SCIENCES (Business and Management Studies) 25%;
SOCIAL SCIENCES (Politics and International Studies) 25%;
SOCIAL SCIENCES (Sociology) 25%;
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Environmental dimensions) 10%;
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Policy and regulation) 25%;
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Consumer attitudes and behaviour) 25%;
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Technology acceptance) 5%;
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Other sociological economical and environmental impact of energy) 10%;
Other (Energy technology information dissemination) 25%;
Principal Investigator Professor B Sovacool
No email address given
UNLISTE
Vermont Law School, USA
Award Type Standard
Funding Source EPSRC
Start Date 01 June 2013
End Date 28 February 2019
Duration 69 months
Total Grant Value £3,539,215
Industrial Sectors Energy; Manufacturing
Region Overseas
Programme Energy : Energy
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Professor B Sovacool , UNLISTE, Vermont Law School, USA (99.997%)
  Other Investigator Professor FW Geels , Manchester Business School, University of Manchester (0.001%)
Professor D (David ) Banister , School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford (0.001%)
Dr AP (Adrian ) Smith , Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex (0.001%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract Climate change poses an unprecedented challenge to the way societies operate. In order to address this challenge, the UK has set an ambitious target of 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Meeting this target will require not only decarbonising energy supply, but will also mean action to make the use of energy more efficient and to reduce energy demand. The proposed Centre on Innovation and Energy Demand will contribute to this challenge by developing an interdisciplinary understanding of the emergence, diffusion and impact of low-energy innovations - new technologies, organisational arrangements or modes of behaviour that are expected to improve energy efficiency and/or reduce energy demand.The Centre will be managed within the Sussex Energy Group (SEG) at SPRU, University of Sussex. SEG has a strong international reputation for policy-relevant interdisciplinary research on transitions to sustainable energy systems, focusing on both the supply and demand sides of these systems. Oxford University's Transport Studies Unit (TSU), a leading interdisciplinary research centre on transport futures, will also contribute to the Centre.The Centre's research and user engagement will be organised under three themes that focus on the emergence, diffusion and impact of different types of low-energy innovation. Each theme will encompass several research projects that provide a balanced coverage of research methodologies and empirical domains. The Centre will also conduct cross-cutting projects and integration activities, with the aim of synthesising the emerging findings from the three main research themes and effectively engaging stakeholders. Two cross cutting projects are proposed. The first will carry out a comparison of multiple low energy innovations to explore differences between incremental and radical innovations, and between those that are mainly technical and those that are largely social. The second will analyse synergies and trade-offs between policies to support low energy innovations and other, overlapping energy policies. A Low Energy Innovation Studio will also be established as the engagement hub of the Centre. It will oversee a number of functions including researcher placements in collaborating organisations, Centre workshops and events, visiting fellowships, summer schools and a final conference.The proposed research programme is inter-disciplinary, combining perspectives from different traditions within economics, innovation studies, political science and sociology. The programme will be developed and conducted in collaboration with non-academic organisations who will help identify research problems, contribute resources and case studies, and assist in engagement with practitioners. Centre researchers will collaborate with academic colleagues in the UK as well as with related international institutions. The Centre will produce a range of outputs tailored to different audiences including journal articles, reportsand policy briefings. It will have a simple internal management structure, comprising a Director, Centre Manager and three research theme leaders, together with Advisory Group to steer its work. Finally it will develop research capacity by recruiting and developing junior researchers and by encouraging applications from doctoral researchers who would be associated with the Centre
Publications (none)
Final Report (none)
Added to Database 25/09/13